The present invention relates to toys, games and crafts in which changeable images are created using birefringent materials, self-adhering materials or adhesives and polarizing filters to create temporary displays.
The ability to make changeable displays, whether for informational, play, way-finding or decorative purposes, is of great importance. The use of changeable symbols or shapes on a background is widely known. The use of replaceable shapes for games and educational purposes is also well-known. However, the ability to create easily changeable images that produce different colors depending on the angle of orientation of the individual pieces or to create different colors and patterns simply by overlapping these same pieces is new. Further, the application of changeable birefringent images in toys would be a highly desirable function, adding an intriguing, educational and exciting aspect to creating relatively simple artwork.
In 1951 Harry Kislevitz invented what became a popular toy called “ColorForms.” This product relied on the surface adhesion properties of certain vinyl and allowed people to create decorative arrangements of various colored shapes on smooth surfaces such as windows or tile. See <http://www.plasticsnews.com/blog/2011/02/happy—60th_to_an_iconic_plasti.html> accessed Apr. 18, 2011. The ColorForms product has essentially remained unchanged for 60 years, but its popularity has decreased owing to lost consumer interest resulting from over-familiarity with the toy, as well as competing activities having changing colors and images such as those using computer displays and the like.
As described above, games utilizing surface adhesive vinyl have been in use since at least 1960. However, interest in such toys has waned. Over the years the approach has been used in such products as pop-up toys and play houses and offered in association with a variety of licensed television and motion picture characters to aid in marketing. A need to modernize and improve this type of activity exists that will effectively compete with electronic distractions of our day.
Several toy-like products have been marketed over the years. However, none has allowed users to make controlled designs that can be changed. For example, kaleidoscope type toys have been known that used polarizing filter and birefringent films. See e.g. http://sci-toys.com/scitoys/scitoys/light/polariscope.html. Such toys provide prismatic colored images, but they are not assembled or designed by the user. A variation on the idea of a polariscope is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 7,477,386 issued to Saha in 1991 and a Continuation-in-Part issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,107,076 also to Saha. The '386 and '076 patents are limited to photoelastic materials that are placed under stress to show colors. It does not disclose either birefringent films or temporary adhesion of pre-cut shapes.
At least one puzzle using polarizing filter and birefringent material is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 4,402,510 issued to Yokoi in 1983. While generally speaking this is a toy, it does not allow users to create changeable artistic images.
There is also great interest in new ways to create decorative objects without the need to use a computer, acquire expensive equipment, to make a mess or even possess advanced artistic skills. Over the years such approaches have included “Paint by Numbers” invented in 1950 by Max Klein and Dan Robbins (see <http://americanhistory.si.edu/paint/introduction.html> accessed Apr. 18, 2011) and plastic faux stained glass (See e.g U.S. Pat. No. 4,302,260 issued to Meltzer). But these types of activities are considered dated and their popularity has also waned. A need exists to provide a simple way to make interesting, colorful images such as window “sun catchers” that change depending on angle of viewing, are iridescent and can be changed easily. Fine art has been created using birefringent materials and polarized light since shortly after plane polarizing filter was invented by Edwin Land in the 1930's. One of the inventors herein, Austine Wood Comarow, has been creating kinetic and interactive fine art work using birefringent films and polarizing filter since 1967 See Mann, “Austine Wood Comarow: Paintings in Polarized Light,” 2005, Wasabi Publishing, Las Vegas, Nev. However, such work is permanent in nature and requires extensive training and skills to create. A need, therefore, to create a way for hobbyists to use these materials to create interesting and pleasing decor is therefore needed.
Educational activities, particularly for pre-school children, is considered vital to healthy cognitive development. Over the years many educational toys and other apparatuses have been developed for teaching fundamental childhood educational concepts such as reading. See e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 3,593,433 issued to Dillon in 1970 disclosing a picture board with adherent letters associated with familiar environmental objects. However, in today's world filled with distractions ranging from colorful 3D television to smart phones, holding children's attention is becoming more of a challenge. Therefore, a need exists to provide shapes that become colorful only when viewed through a polarizing sheet (“analyzer”). The “magical” experience of seeing an invisible image suddenly appear in full color and then to be made to immediately change color will aid in keeping the attention of a child.
In developing one embodiment of the present invention, a new type laminated material was needed. It required producing birefringent colors in a controlled and predictable way, it needed to be resilient when handled repeatedly and subjected to light washing and it needed to be repeatedly adherent and removable. Therefore a new combination of birefringent film such as cellophane and surface adherent (also known as “static cling”) vinyl was created. The lamination of the birefringent film between two layers of the vinyl created a sturdy, resilient and repeatably adherent lamination from which desired shapes could be cut. An alternative birefringent material was also developed employing one or more layers of biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) and non-water-soluble ultra-low-tack adhesive. The cutting could be accomplished by hand with knives and scissors, by robotic (“X-Y”) cutters, by steel rule dies, by laser cutters and by water jet cutters. Steel rule die cutting was determined to be the best mode for mass production due to its low cost and ability to “kiss cut” the lamination on a backing.
Therefore, it is the object of this invention to provide a means for untrained members of the public to make colorful, birefringent displays that can quickly be displayed and easily be changed at will.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a means to create decorative art objects using birefringent materials and polarized light such that the materials are reusable.
It is a further object of the present invention to make easy-to-change signs that are visible only through polarizing filters and changeable.
It is a further object of the present invention to make toys, crafts and educational products for children and adults using birefringent materials and polarized light to create exciting and intriguing experiences which both stimulate creativity and reinforce the learning experience.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a laminated material which is both birefringent to produce controllable colors, surface adherent, repeatably reusable, sturdy and cleanable.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a means to create birefringent polarized light art using birefringent materials coated with low-tack adhesive.